Levitating apparatus for conveying ammunition, &amp;c.



E. BAGHELET.

LEVITATING APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AMMUNITION, 6w.

. APPLICATION FILED $1113.15, 1912. 1,051,056. Patented Jan.21, 1913.

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l JNVENTO 1 EWZZZE 46726763 I Allarneyy E. BAGHELET. LEVITATING APPARATUS OR CONVEYING AMMUNITION, &c.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.15,1912v 1 Q51 Q56 A Patented Jan. 21, 191;);

WITNESSES MAJ/(9% Ema13mezez T QFFICEL- EMILE BAGEELET, O16 MOUNT VERNON,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEVITATING APPARATUS FOR censee To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EMILE BACHELET, of;

Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State or New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levitating Appnratus'for Conveying Ammunition, 620.; end 1 hereby declare that the following is a full, else-mend exact description thereof,re:terence being had to the'accompe-nying drawings, which "form pert of this specification;

This invention is a novel improvement in transporting apperntus, and is'pertioularly adapted for use in fortresses and on shipboard, for the safe and rapid transportation of ammunition, or high explosives from thev magazines to the point of use; also for use in handling high explosives in powder works; also for transport of fragile substancesend things; and other uses in the arts; as willbe readily seen by engineers and rnech eniciens, when the invention is understood by them.

The articular object oi the invention .is to ene'be matters-to he levitated and transported or moved along suitable guidewr without any friction, and Without the employment. of any chains, belts or other ower driven mechanical parts which mig t be lieble to cause friction, or clash, and he dangerous to-the workmen or others nee-t the apparatus. i j

the apparatus will he noiseless and re-- quire very little room; end will enable the ammunition to be kept under manual control desired withouteny actual labor on the port of the attendant While'in transit.

The invention in brief consists in providing s levitating cfsrrier or, series of carriers, and guideways for such carriers, along and over'which the carriers will float and may be traversed in on); desired manner, preferably by an attendant who,-'as the carrier -is levitated, or floating in the air, with its burden and has no fr ction to overcome, can by a, slight push move the levitated carrier and ceuse it to traverse from one end. of the guidewsy, to the other.

The carriers are levitated by electromagnetic repulsioms's described in my U. S. applications Serial No. 553,134, filed April 2, 1910, and Serial No. 556,712, filed April 21, 19111,,end I will esplninthe general constructioxi and operation of such applet-sins.

CON EYING AMMUNITION, &o..

as adopted particularly for fortresses and War-ships. Thedrawings illustrate in a conventional. and semi-diagrammatic manner a levitating apparatus for transferring ammunition or other material from one place to another.

In seid drawiugsFigure 1 represents partly in elevation and partly in sectional diagrammatic elevation, an apparatus for transporting ammunition, high explosives, fragileittnateriel, from place to place. -Fig. 2 is'an enlarged detsiLplan View of one of tion .online 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the carrier not levitated. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional rier levitated. Fig. 5 is a similar section on line55, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is 2} detail section illustrating how the carrierand guidcway meybe covered or incas'ed.

In the, drawings M representsthe magazine of a? vessel or fort; above which is a passageway .P; and above that a second passage or gun-deck D. "In the passageway P isnrrungecl a. guideway which prefembly consistsof three parallel series of electro- "magnetsl. nets is prefergbly arranged below the plane of the two ad acent rows. The magnets are preferably set with their poles vertical, and are all preferably connected in multiple so that they may be energized simultaneously. The "electrical connections are merely diadrawings and need no particular description ,All the magnets may be energized simultuneously -but if the long the magnets "might e arranged in groups, and the magnets in such groups be successivcly'energized'as the carrier, hereinafter referred to, approaches and traverses seine,--substzintially as described in my aforesaid application. maybe arranged as shown on the superposed gun-deck or pessage D. The aforesaid orinclosed inn suitable nonconducting cusin of any suitnblcmatet'ml, as indicated at.

Fwngncts, and to prescnt a neuter appco'ranc view "on line 4+4, Fig. 1, showing the car The central row of'clectromag-* grammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 of the ideway is very in Fig, (n-so prevent'conmg h I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan 21, 1913. Application filed February 15, 1912. .SerialNo. 677,776. i i I the carriers, and part of the related guideway. .Fig. 3 "IS in enlarged transversesecrangement' of the magnets in 'parallelrows.

when not in use. Such a casing however is sci or ever tloor of the fort orbuildin is used. Adapted to traverse sue cways are carriers 2, each of which is 'eterably cradle-shaped'as shown, and has a central portion adapted to depend between. the two outermost rows of magnets; and carrier may be formed entirely of aluminum, or be provided at each side with longitudinal shoes or bars 2" of aluminum; or of a material having antimagnetic qualities like aluminum, as described in my applications aforesaid. Such carriers when placed on such guideways will, when the magnets are energized by a periodic intermittent or alternating elec trical current, be repelled with great force from the magnetic field, or poles of the magnets, and consequently will be levitated, as indicated in Fig. l, and actually float above the guideway, see Fig. at. The degree of levitation or flotation of the carrier can be controlled both by the weight of and upon the carrier, and by the nature and strength of the periodic current energizing the ma lets.

The carrier bars 2 2, may be connected by inverted yolre-shaped pieces 2 that may be of any suitable material; and if desit'ed the carrier might be covered on its upper side with any suitable material, as indicated. at 2 in 6.

H the carrier is to transport heavy'loads, it may be provided with a central bar 2 of aluminum, arranged to home opposite the central row of magnets, as indicated in the drawings, and which will correspondingly increase the lifting power, or carrying capacity, of the carrier.

l Vhile I have shown an :tri'angcment of three rows or magnets in each guideway it should be understood that the invention is not restricted to any particularnumber of rows; and the number of rows of magnets employed, and the size of the individual magnets, will depend upon the nature of the service which the apparatus is to render, and upon the strength of the current available for energizing the magnets.

Obviously the particular shape or fol-m of the carrier is not essential. It might be made wholly of aluminum. In the drawings I have shown the carrier cradle-shaped for the purpose of accommodating shells S, but the carrier may be of any desired shape according to the nature of the umterial or object which it is desired to transport there by; and carriers of (lill'erent form, or size may be employed in connection with the same guidcway, to transport ditlerent ob- 35 jccts or materials thercovcr.

To prevent the carriers While.1evitated being laterally displaced relative to the guideways, any suita-hledevices may be used that will not hinder the levitation of the carriers; for example the carriers maybe provided-with depending fingers or flanges BWpreterably of non-magnetic material opposite guide bars or stops 1 at the inner sides of the outermost rows of magnets, see Figs. 3 to 6; these devices will prevent the carriers being pushed sidewise ofi' the guide- Way while levitated, but will produce no appreciable friction.

To facilitate the shifting of a loaded carrier from one guideway to another, or from the magazine to a superposed guideway, 21

longer, than the carrier may bemade movable; and, as shown in Fig. 1, asection 3 of the lower guideway may be made removable, and a corresponding section 3* (Fig. 1) may be mounted upon a suitable elevator (a hydraulic elevators being indicated in the drawings) within the magazine; and

azine, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1; and a earner 2 can then be placed on this secloadcd with a shell S or other material. Then the section 3* can be elevated ,thereby lifting section 3 out of place and takingthe place of the latter; then when the electric circuitis closed through the magnets the carrier will be levitated, as indlcated in Fig. 4, and may then be easily moved off of section 3 and along the guideway, as by giving it a shove with the hand; or a arolaher can run alon with the carrier and stop at the point where it is'desired; or one man could stand at the point 3 and sendthe carriers right or left as float in the air there will'bc no friction to overcome, and theoarriers will traverse the way and can be. arrested at the desired point by another attendant. 1

The section 3 may be provided with depending ba'rs 3 which will be engaged by corresponding projections 3" on the section 3* as it rises, so that section 3 may be automatically removed from position in the guideway when section 3* rises; and be automatically restored to position in the guideway when section .3 is lowered.

The carriers could be caused to traverse the ways if desired, by solenoids, or any other desired means, as explained in my aforesaid application; but Where the guideways are sh0rt,,or the carriers only have to move short distances,.such as an ordinary ships length, no propelling means will be required, norneed be used; for no matter what the Weight of the loaded carrier may be, (up to themaximum thatv is to be levitated) it can be given a shove and will this section 3 can be lowered into the magtion 3*, while loweredin the magazine, and" he wishes; and as the carriers absolutely section or sections of the guideway slightly traverse the guideway until it is stopped by an attendant or suitable arresting means, since there is no friction to be overcome other than' skin friction of the air against the moving carrier and the object thereon.

. The carriers may be shifted from one superposed guideway to another by any suit able means. As indicated in Fig- 1 the superposed guideways may have similar removable track sections at corresponding points (indicated at 3 and 3*) each long return it to place when the latter descends.

To illustrate, section 3* is shown as provided' with depending rods 3, which are adapted to engage lugs 3 on the section 3 as the latter rises, and cause section 3 to rise with the section 3 as indicated in Figs. v l and 5, so that a carrier resting upon the section 3% can be readily movedfrom the "said section 3 onto the upper way." In a similar but reverse manner the carriers could be lowered from an upper to a lower guideway.

So long as the magnets are not energized bya periodic current the apparatus w llbe inoperative. When the magnets are energized by aperiodic current there is no danger if the apparatus is properly constructed;

all the electric connections may be incased. When the apparatus is to be used the mag. nets should be energized by a periodic current, such as an alternating or intermittent current of say 200 volts and upward. The

carriers being principally or wholly of aluminum or similar non-magnetic material are very light and may be readily placed in or removed from the guidewa s by hand. Whenplaced on the guideways if there is no current the carrier will rest upon the magnets as indicated in Fig. 3; but when the magnets are properly ener 'zed the carriers will be levitated, as indicated in Fig. 4-

owing to the great. repulsion between the guideway magnets and the aluminum, or like non-magnetid material, on the carrier, oriof which the carrier may be composed. Themarrier will therefore rise absolutely less distance above such guideways, as indicated in Fig. 4, according to the weight upon the carrier and the strength of the cur rent. In practice a rheostat might be provided to regulate the current in the magnets and no electric contacts need be exposed, and

clear of the guideways and float a gre'atenor and thus control the distance which the carriers will be levitated, according to the weight which the carriers support. lV hen used as an ammunition carrier, a shell S, or bag of powder, etc., may be loaded on-to the carrier while it is resting upon the ways, or While thecarrier is supported upon a section of the guideway, as indicated at 3* in Fig. l; and before the carrier is levitated. Such section of the guideway with the loaded carrier thereon may then be elevated to the position of the section 3 in Fig. 1, and then the magnets energized, whereupon the loaded carrier will be levitated and it may be moved forward or back alon the 'uidewa -floating in the air withoutiriction and therefore capable of being easily moved in either direction; and if given a slight shove it will continue to move to any point along the guideway to which it is desired to transport the ammunition; at which point the carrier may be arrested by an attendant. A loaded carrier can be passed directly from one guideway onto another; and may be readily transferred manually from one guideway to another if desired. Obviously such guideways can be extended to any portions of the vessel or building where it may be desired to transport ammunition or other matters.

Such an apparatus would be very useful in factories where it. is desired to trah'isport material from one place to another rapidly and easily, and is particularly adapted for transporting fragile substances and dangerous explosives.

The carriers may be returned over the same guidewaiys loaded orv unloaded; or other guideways may be provided over which the carrier can be returned empty, and which neednot beequipped with so many or so powerful magnets as the guideways for the loaded carriers. v

The pitching of the vessel would have very -little efiect other than to accelerate the movement of the carrier when levitated it it- .was traveling in the directionin which the guideway is dipping" or to retard it if traveling in a directionopposite to" the dipping of theguideway. In other words the carrier would remain levitated, and if the 116 guideway was tiltedin' 'tde direction "in which the carrier was moving it would simply tend to accelerate'the movement of the carrier; and if it was tilted in a contrary direction it would'simply tend to retard the; 120

movement or" the carrier.

What I claim is: -1. Apparatus for transporting ammunition and the like, comprising a guideway, means for produciuga periodic electromagnetic field along such'guideway, and a carrier adapted to traverse such guideway and be levitated when the carrier is placed over the guide way and the magnetsare energized. 13o

iio 1 2. in an ammunition carrier, a guideway, means for producing a periodic electromagnetic field along the guideway, and a carrier of non-magnetic material such as aluminum adapted to be placed over the gnideway and be levitated =when the magnets are energized'.

nation of a series of g'uideways, 'means for placed in the guideway and a nrio'vahle g iideway section adapted to register with difierent guideways for transferring a carrier from one guideway to another.

5. In transporting,"apparatus, the combinationof a series of superposed guideways each having a movable section, means for producing a periodic electromagnetic field along each guideway, carriers adapted to be levitated when placed over wguideway and means for shifting the movable section of one guideway into register with another guideway to transport the carriers from one guideway to another. 7 1

6. Transporting apparatus comprising a uideiva consistin of arallel rows ofelecg e tromagnets and a carrier adapted to traverse the guideway and having longitudinal aluminum bars or shoes opposite each row of magnets, and means for energizing the magnets to create a periodicimagnctic field to levitate the carrier.

7. Transporting apparatus comprising a guideway GODS? "21g of parallel rows of elec-.

tromagnets arranged'Wit-h their axes parallel and vertlcal, and a carrier adapted to traverse the guidewav and having a longs tudinal aluminum bar or shoe over each row: of magnets, and means for energizing tit e magnets to create a periodic magnetic field to levitate the carrier.

8. Transporting apparatus comprismg a 3. In transporting apparatus, the combia periodic electromagnetic field carrier from one g iideway formed of parallel rows of electromagnets, and arranged to form st-troughshaped guideway; with a carr1er.'of nonmagnetic conducting material adaptedto-be repelled from the magnets when the latter are energized by a periodic current; thereby levitating};- the carrier.

9. Transportlng apparatus comprising a giiideway formed of parallel rows ofehacti-omagnets, arranged to form a trough-shaped gnide z iawith a carrier adapted to be placed over said gnideway and provided with longitudinal bar ofr'aluminunipr no1;-. magnetic conducting material OPpOSItQGaCII ror. of magnets and adapted to be repelled by-tbe magnets when the latter are energized by a periodic currentthereby levitating the carrier.

10. Transporting apparatus comprlsln a guide-Way formed of three or more parallel rows of electromagnets, intermediate rows being arranged below the plane of the outermost rows to form a trough-shaped icle- Way, with a trough-shaped carrier at apted tdbe placed over said guide and having bars of non-magnetic conductingmaterial opposite the rows of magnets whereby the carrier is repelled from the magnets and.

levitated when the latter are energized by a periodic current.

l1. Transporting apparatus comprisin a guidew'ay formed of three or more para lel rows of vertically disposed elect-romagnets, intermediate rows being arranged below the plane of the outermost rows to form a trough-shaped gnideway; with a barrier adapted to be placed 'over said guidewayp said carrier being provided with longitudinalfhars of aluminum opposlte the rows of magnets whereby it, is repelled by the mag.

nets and levitated when the magnets are energized by a periodic current.

In testimony that 1 claim ,of two witnesses. v

j EMILE BAGHELET. Witnesses: I

JAMES R. MANSFIELD,

L, E 'WITHAM.

the'fore'going as my own, it. afiix my signature in presence 

